Scared to stop drinking because you don't know what happens next? We'll cover what actually happens when you stop drinking, what happens to your friendships when you're the one who changes first, and why Dry January was never a preview of anything. If you're afraid to quit drinking because of everyone else, this one's for you.In this episode I'm walking you through why your brain is so bad at determining the future. Why it freezes your entire life in place and only takes away the wine. What really happens to the people around you when you're the one who moves first.And why that Dry January you white-knuckled through was never a preview of anything.In this week's episode I'm covering: Why your worries about the future are accurate and still not useful Focalism, and how your brain edits out every single good part What happens to your relationships when you change from the inside out Why you can't do ten years of white-knuckling, and why that's fine The only thing you actually have to do today About Angela:I'm Angela Mascenik, a certified life coach helping women stop over-drinking without shame, willpower, or a label. I over-drank for 20 years while raising three kids, building a career, and keeping a good marriage and a nice home together. Functional on the outside, falling apart on the inside. Coaching changed all of it, and I've been alcohol free for eight years.The Stop Over-Drinking and Start Living podcast is for high-achieving women who are tired of the cycle. Drinking more than you meant to. Waking up at 3am. Promising yourself tomorrow will be different. This isn't about white-knuckling your way through Dry January. We get underneath it. Why you're drinking in the first place, what you're actually feeling at 5pm, and how to build a life you don't need to escape from.Every week I'm talking about boundaries, emotions, mind management, and putting yourself at the top of your own priority list, which is the part most women skip.Ways to work with me: The Magic House My retreat center in Lisbon, Portugal. https://www.angelamascenik.com/magichousefounderscircle Private coaching One on One, for women who want to go deep and go fast. https://form.typeform.com Transformation Program, small group, 6 months of weekly meetings and materials, includes a trip to The Magic House at the end! https://www.angelamascenik.com/transformationprogram Subscribe wherever you listen, and if this episode helped, a review helps another woman find it.

Quick update episode before I head out to walk the Camino! A few episodes ago, I told you about coming off my medication and sleep aids, the brain zaps, and the nights I barely slept.Here's where things landed: I'm fully off everything, sleeping better than I have in months, and I'm sharing exactly what worked.I'm also telling you about the day I broke my own rule, paid for it until 12:30am, and what I did the next morning — because that part is the whole lesson. If you've ever blown a boundary with alcohol and used it as a reason to give up on the whole thing, this one's for you. In this episode, you'll learn: The full update on coming off sleep aids and medication, including the last little crutch I didn't even realize I was using The two simple changes that made the biggest difference in my sleep What happened the day I broke my own caffeine boundary (and why it felt exactly like drinking) How to get back to a boundary after you break it, without the shame spiral or the "I'll start Monday" trap Why your body knows how to get back to baseline when you stop interfering Quick reminder: this is my personal experience with medication. Always talk to your doctor before starting or stopping anything.Also, I recommend you listen to 'How to Stop Talking Yourself Out of It When It Gets Uncomfortable' before you listen to this one, to get the full context! Listen to that here: https://www.angelamascenik.com/podcasts/stop-over-drinking-and-start-living/episodes/2149227702Now accepting applications for the next cohort of the Transformation Program, check that out here: https://www.angelamascenik.com     ABOUT ANGELA: Angela Mascenik is a certified stop over-drinking coach for women and the host of the Stop Over-Drinking and Start Living podcast. She helps high-achieving women get to the root of why they drink and change their relationship with alcohol from the inside out — without white-knuckling it or relying on willpower. Angela is the creator of the 6-month Transformation Program, the Alive AF! membership, and The Magic House Retreat Center in Lisbon, Portugal.  

If you've ever thought "I've wasted so many years drinking," this episode is going to change how you see your entire story.It started with Madonna- a line about how the deepest darkness holds the greatest light. And it perfectly captures something psychologists have been studying for decades: post-traumatic growth.The research shows that women who go through hard seasons — including years of over-drinking, and actually process them, come out the other side with deeper relationships, more appreciation for life, and a strength they never had before.The growth comes from processing the pain, and just time alone won't do it.In this episode, I break down the five research-backed ways post-traumatic growth shows up and I share the tips for actually getting there. I promise your drinking years aren't wasted years. They're the material for the best years of your life.Now accepting applications for the next cohort of the Transformation Program, check that out here: https://www.angelamascenik.com/transformationprogram I've updated my website, check out my new about me page:  www.angelamascenik.com/ ABOUT ANGELA:Angela Mascenik is a certified stop over-drinking coach for women and the host of the Stop Over-Drinking and Start Living podcast. She helps high-achieving women get to the root of why they drink and change their relationship with alcohol from the inside out — without white-knuckling it or relying on willpower. Angela is the creator of the 6-month Transformation Program, the Alive AF! membership, and The Magic House Retreat Center in Lisbon, Portugal.

Let's discuss intuition.In this episode, I'm telling you the full story of how one small decision to listen to my body last fall led to the biggest, most magical thing in my business and my life.Last year I had a two week trip planned with my friend Sarah. On paper it was a dream. But as it got closer, something in my body kept whispering, this is too much. And instead of pushing through like I would have during my drinking years, I said it out loud.Then Sarah asked me one question that changed everything.In this episode, we're talking about intuition. What it actually feels like in your body, what science says about when you can trust it, and why twenty years of over-drinking teaches you to mute the very signals that are trying to guide you.You'll learn: Why gut feelings are literal (your body sends way more information to your brain than your brain sends back) The one question to ask yourself when you can't tell what you really want Why your intuition about your own needs is the most reliable kind, according to research How wine becomes the tool we use to drown out the "something's off" whisper What honoring your intuition actually gives you (hint: I'm keeping this honest, no fairy tales) www.angelamascenik.com << check out my new and refreshed website!www.angelamascenik.com/magichousefounderscircle << 1 shared spot left! Grab it before it's gone! ABOUT ANGELA: Angela Mascenik is a certified stop over-drinking coach for women and the host of the Stop Over-Drinking and Start Living podcast. She helps high-achieving women get to the root of why they drink and change their relationship with alcohol from the inside out — without white-knuckling it or relying on willpower. Angela is the creator of the 6-month Transformation Program, the Alive AF! membership, and The Magic House Retreat Center in Lisbon, Portugal.

You decided this morning you weren't drinking tonight. Then 5pm rolls around, the day was long, and the debate starts: "Maybe just one. I don't want to be left out. I'll start fresh Monday."In this episode, I'm sharing a very personal story about coming off anti-anxiety medication and sleep aids during our move to Lisbon, the brutal side effects nobody warned me about, and the two nights I barely slept at all.What got me through was one skill: allowing the discomfort WHILE my brain also wanted to talk me out of it.In this episode, you'll learn: My experience stopping a low-dose anti-anxiety and what the withdrawal was actually like (brain zaps, body aches, sleepless nights, stomach issues.. all of it) Why I decided to come off everything before walking the Camino, including sleep aids The difference between allowing discomfort and white-knuckling through it Why deciding ahead of time changes everything, and how the 2 am moment becomes just following through Quick note: this is my personal experience with medication. Always talk to your doctor before starting or stopping anything. This is not medical advice.www.angelamascenik.com << check out my new and refreshed website!Magic House Founders Circle www.angelamascenik.com/magichousefounderscircle << 1 shared spot left! Grab it before it's gone! [5:05 AM] ABOUT ANGELA:Angela Mascenik is a certified stop over-drinking coach for women and the host of the Stop Over-Drinking and Start Living podcast. She helps high-achieving women get to the root of why they drink and change their relationship with alcohol from the inside out — without white-knuckling it or relying on willpower. Angela is the creator of the 6-month Transformation Program, the Alive AF! membership, and The Magic House Retreat Center in Lisbon, Portugal.

I'm recording this from my first morning LIVING in Lisbon, Portugal, sitting in The Magic House with a cup of coffee, my family finally here, and this feeling I can only describe as the specific joy of having done the hard thing.Eighteen months ago I had an idea to move my family to a country I had never been to. No plan. Just a decision. And this morning that decision is my reality.In this episode I'm sharing what that journey taught me — and exactly how it applies to changing your relationship with alcohol.Because here's what I know after eight years of doing this work: the women who stay stuck aren't lacking information. They aren't lacking willpower. They're waiting to know how before they decide. And that's backwards. The plan doesn't come before the decision. The plan comes FROM the decision. We cover:Why waiting to feel ready keeps you stuck — and what to do insteadThe one question that cuts through every excuse: if you knew it would work, would you do it?What real change actually looks like from the inside — and why the mess doesn't mean you're failingThe grief nobody talks about when you change your relationship with alcoholAnd what deciding, actually looks like.THIS EPISODE IS FOR YOU IF: You've been thinking about changing your drinking for months or years and you still haven't fully committed You keep waiting until you feel ready, until things calm down, until after the next event You know what you want but you don't believe you can actually get there You've tried before and it didn't stick and you're not sure this time would be different You want permission to start before you have it all figured out ABOUT ANGELA: Angela Mascenik is a certified stop over-drinking coach for women and the host of the Stop Over-Drinking and Start Living podcast. She helps high-achieving women get to the root of why they drink and change their relationship with alcohol from the inside out — without white-knuckling it or relying on willpower. Angela is the creator of the 6-month Transformation Program, the Alive AF! membership, and The Magic House Retreat Center in Lisbon, Portugal.To learn more or apply for the Transformation Program visit angelamascenik.com/transformationprogram.

Please enjoy this podcast rewind: This episode is a further exploration of Decisions. If you haven't listened to Part 1, please do that first, https://www.angelamascenik.com/podcasts/stop-over-drinking-and-start-living/episodes/2148935056 This episode dives into AFTER we made a decision, how to evaluate that decision, especially if you didn't experience the outcome of the decision that you really wanted to. I also discuss how to keep making more decisions that have this new insight you received after being in the outcome of the original decision. Also learn how to have your own back around the decisions you made no matter the outcome. Decision making is a huge process when you are trying to change unwanted behavior. It's really important to learn how to make and evaluate decisions that have your goals in mind instead of reacting to your mind's primitive needs and wants! ABOUT ANGELA: Angela Mascenik is a certified stop over-drinking coach for women and the host of the Stop Over-Drinking and Start Living podcast. She helps high-achieving women get to the root of why they drink and change their relationship with alcohol from the inside out — without white-knuckling it or relying on willpower. Angela is the creator of the 6-month Transformation Program, the Alive AF! membership, and The Magic House Retreat Center in Lisbon, Portugal.To learn about or apply to for the Transformation Program visit angelamascenik.com/transformationprogram.

Please enjoy this Podcast Rewind:This episode is going to help you become aware of your automatic or unconscious decision making process. Once you see HOW you are making decisions you can decide with more intention on the outcome you want to have versus just your automatic quick or knee jerk decisions. This is a skill that you can use for any decision you are contemplating or to evaluate how you've make past decisions. Changing your relationship with alcohol comes with a lot of decisions to make. Please listen to this informative Part 1 Decision making episode to gain awareness so you can make the best possible decisions for you! ABOUT ANGELA: Angela Mascenik is a certified stop over-drinking coach for women and the host of the Stop Over-Drinking and Start Living podcast. She helps high-achieving women get to the root of why they drink and change their relationship with alcohol from the inside out — without white-knuckling it or relying on willpower. Angela is the creator of the 6-month Transformation Program, the Alive AF! membership, and The Magic House Retreat Center in Lisbon, Portugal.To learn about or apply to for the Transformation Program visit angelamascenik.com/transformationprogram.

I've been sitting with a thought this week that I can't stop thinking about: transformation requires transparency. You cannot have one without the other.We all know too well the toxic cycle of sneaking, hiding, avoiding, and disregarding how much our drinking is impacting us, mostly from the inside. If you truly want to transform your relationship with alcohol you need to start getting honest and be transparent.Additionally, I'm sharing what came up on a recent Q+A, the moment when every woman on the call recognized that she was using alcohol to solve an emotional problem. They knew it. They could name it. And yet knowing it and actually being able to sit with the discomfort instead of reaching for a drink, that's a completely different skill.In this episode I talk about the impact of staying hidden and the 3 things that might make transformation possible for you.THIS EPISODE IS FOR YOU IF: You know what to do but you're not doing it and you can't figure out why You've tried cutting back, taking breaks, making rules and nothing has stuck permanently You recognize that you drink to take the edge off or unwind but you haven't been able to stop You feel like you're doing the work but something is still missing You're tired of hiding this from the people you love and from yourself You're ready to stop managing your drinking and actually transform your relationship with it ABOUT ANGELA: Angela Mascenik is a certified stop over-drinking coach for women and the host of the Stop Over-Drinking and Start Living podcast. She helps high-achieving women get to the root of why they drink and change their relationship with alcohol from the inside out — without white-knuckling it or relying on willpower. Angela is the creator of the 6-month Transformation Program, the Alive AF! membership, and The Magic House Retreat Center in Lisbon, Portugal.To learn more or apply for the Transformation Program visit angelamascenik.com/transformationprogram.

You've done Dry January. You've made the Sunday night promise. You've cut back, taken breaks, set rules, and started over more times than you can count. And every time, you mean it.So why does it keep happening?In this episode, I'm talking about the real reason the cycle doesn't break — and it has nothing to do with willpower, discipline, or how badly you want to change. The answer is deeper than the drinking.This episode is for you if: You've tried to cut back or quit more times than you can remember You keep breaking promises to yourself and you're exhausted by it You feel like something is off but you can't quite name it You're ready to stop fighting the symptom and get to the actual root Links:Transformation Program Q+Ahttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/89011714466?pwd=b632nKrrvxdH6j7oAlPb2FrLTu1o10.1Passcode:170040Replay for Transformation Q+A: https://www.angelamascenik.com/transformationprogramTopics: gray area drinking, how to stop over-drinking, high-functioning women and alcohol, change your relationship with alcohol, functional drinker, why willpower doesn't work, starting over with sobriety, women and alcoholAbout Angela: Angela Mascenik is a certified life coach and the founder of Stop Over-Drinking and Start Living. After 20 years of over-drinking while keeping everything together on the outside, she found her way through — and now helps high-achieving women do the same. No shame, no labels, just real work that actually sticks.